Two young men were yesterday convicted and discharged without further penalty on charges of careless driving causing injury to a friend who fell off a car as it was being towed out of the Guppy Road river reserve near Taradale.
The decision came in the Napier District Court where Judge Bridget
Mackintosh said victim Kieran Crabtree felt "totally responsible" for what happened when he fell and suffered near-fatal injuries in the incident which happened about 5.45 on the Saturday afternoon of July 28.
Mr Crabtree, then aged 19, was flown to Wellington Hospital and later discharged. He was making a full recovery, the court was told as it the judge decided the outcome for Ben Murray Goodridge, 20, and Dane Tavis Gale, 19, who pleaded guilty.
Defence counsel Philip Jensen said the charges appeared to have been laid as a matter of policy, simply because the two were the drivers of the two vehicles.
Police prosecutor Sergeant John Ashfield told the judge he agreed with the the plea from Mr Jensen for the two to be convicted and discharged.
Mr Ashfield said Mr Crabtree climbed on to the bonnet of his car as it was being towed backwards from the reserve after puncturing while being driven in the reserve on the bank of the Tutaekuri River.
Two others also climbed on to the vehicle while it was moving, he said.
Mr Crabtree fell as the vehicle made a sudden movement as it was rounding another vehicle, and he landed on his feet, but overbalanced and struck his head on the road.
The vehicles stopped immediately and the accused realised the gravity of the situation. The injured teen was put in the recovery position and tended him in steps which possibly saved his life, the court was told.
Mr Jensen said there was "no real hooning or foolishness," and Goodridge and Gale were being careful in every respect apart from allowing the others to ride on the bonnet, which they had done to weigh down the vehicles to help in the towing movement.
